Spoilers Severance (Apple TV)

[jian]

Well, they built 23 (I think) separate personalities for her and were trying to make sure that her other memories and identities wouldn't leak through. That certainly feels, to me, like they're trying to hollow people out so that the Eagans can implant their minds in other people and become functionally immortal.

So not clones, but adjacent enough, given that the end goal is probably the same.

In my theory the endgame was to resurrect Kier by cloning his body and forming a reconstructed psyche from secondary data, which probably isn’t the plan here.

I honestly don’t know what the endgame here is, except maybe develop severing for more commercial options than just work (like going to the dentist), like the birthing cabin. I can’t see that working out well:

The Tooth House - Penny Arcade

Videogaming-related online strip by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins. Includes news and commentary.

www.penny-arcade.com

 

[Lidgar]

Well, they built 23 (I think) separate personalities for her and were trying to make sure that her other memories and identities wouldn't leak through. That certainly feels, to me, like they're trying to hollow people out so that the Eagans can implant their minds in other people and become functionally immortal.

So not clones, but adjacent enough, given that the end goal is probably the same.

This is my preferred theory. The ultimate "severance" would be to sever your mind from your physical body. Put the rest of my post in spoiler tags just in case we want to avoid sharing theories in this thread.

Harmony invented the chip to shield her mom from physical pain (and possibly addiction) to allow her to live our her dying days peacefully unaware of the physical (pain/addiction). Immortality is an ongoing theme in the show. Lumon/the Eagens are now focused on isolating the four tempers into different compartments. The show seems to suggest that when this is done, the mind is severed completely from the body (with the mind "dying"), therefore creating an opportunity to have a new mind inserted into the vacated body. Perhaps they already succeeded doing this with goats...

 

[monsmord]

I felt like the second season had largely forgotten the cult aspects of things, and was glad we got that back. The finale was delicious, but I mourn Drummond - creep, yes, but super riveting. At one point during the chaos of the last act I screamed, "There are three more seasons!" because it felt so much like, "how can Lumon possibly keep being a thing?". Drooling for the next season.

I can't disregard the immortality possibility, but won't be convinced unless we see the previous Egans somehow preserved. My working theory is that they are trying to create "perfect" people, without trauma, fear, doubt, mistrust, etc., ready to be fully cult-ified and build their Utopia.

As for the future of character arcs, it would be amazing - and tragic - for innie Hellie to convert to loyal cultist while outie Helena tries to obliterate the fiscal and legal liabilities of the cult aspects of this otherwise powerhouse corporation.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I felt like the second season had largely forgotten the cult aspects of things, and was glad we got that back. The finale was delicious, but I mourn Drummond - creep, yes, but super riveting. At one point during the chaos of the last act I screamed, "There are three more seasons!" because it felt so much like, "how can Lumon possibly keep being a thing?". Drooling for the next season.

Wait, three more? That's hard to wrap my head around. I'm guessing things are going to get bleak next season if we're not even at the halfway point for everyone.

 

[monsmord]

Wait, three more? That's hard to wrap my head around. I'm guessing things are going to get bleak next season if we're not even at the halfway point for everyone.

My understanding is that the series was designed to be exactly five seasons, no more or less. If this quality continues, I expect we'll see all five.

 

[Lidgar]

I can't disregard the immortality possibility, but won't be convinced unless we see the previous Egans somehow preserved. My working theory is that they are trying to create "perfect" people, without trauma, fear, doubt, mistrust, etc., ready to be fully cult-ified and build their Utopia.

Well, only his mind needs to be preserved, and perhaps they already succeeded transferring that into a highly astute goat...

 

[Stalker0]

My working theory is that they are trying to create "perfect" people, without trauma, fear, doubt, mistrust, etc., ready to be fully cult-ified and build their Utopia.

There was a comment at some point in that episode about a life without pain being a goal or a tenent of Kier....I don't remember the exact wording.

So yeah, I do think that's a key part of it with Gemma and the crib, the goal is to showcase she can handle what would normally be a super triggering scenario without any issues or pain.

 

[Clint_L]

Like Lost, if the first episode didn't hook you, I don't know that the rest of the series would. The show knows what it is, and it's definitely not for everyone.

I had the opposite reaction to Lost - I loved the first episode, but by halfway through the second season realized the series was going nowhere. It sounds like this show has a different trajectory.

 

[jian]

I had the opposite reaction to Lost - I loved the first episode, but by halfway through the second season realized the series was going nowhere. It sounds like this show has a different trajectory.

Yeah. I’m quite leery of shows like Lost where the writers are clearly making it up as they go along and don’t have a specific plot or end point in mind. Severance isn’t like that, I think they’re much more robust in their writing.

 

[jian]

I felt like the second season had largely forgotten the cult aspects of things, and was glad we got that back. The finale was delicious, but I mourn Drummond - creep, yes, but super riveting. At one point during the chaos of the last act I screamed, "There are three more seasons!" because it felt so much like, "how can Lumon possibly keep being a thing?". Drooling for the next season.

I’m honestly concerned about how the show keeps getting rid of villains - who’s going to run Lumon next season? Jame? Dr Maurer? Both seem rather ineffectual.

My bet is on John Noble’s character, whom I suspect is not Burt’s husband at all (that would explain why he looks nothing like the guy at the end of season 1). You could get John Noble as a one-off cameo but he’d also make a great villain.